Weston North, Wesley’s son, was murdered just over two years ago. He was 17.

North and Mowell have attended recent events for Hailey to support the family and offer help. They have begun to understand the emotions of having a child victim at the center of a criminal case.

One emotion Weston’s family never expected to have to deal with is disappointment — in the judge who presided over the trial of their son’s killer.

North and Mowell strongly believe that Judge Calvin Holden made the wrong decision.

He ruled that Gabriel Roche committed second-degree murder when he killed Weston.

The family members — and Prosecutor Dan Patterson — think the case was clear-cut as a first-degree murder. While both include a level of premeditation, the difference between the two charges is “a period of cool reflection” for first-degree.

Because Weston’s family is distraught at what they believe is a miscarriage of justice for Weston, now they’re even more concerned for Hailey’s case.

“We don’t want the same thing to happen in this case that happened in ours,” Mowell said.

Holden could not be reached for comment for this story.

This is not the first time Judge Holden has been criticized as lenient on a young offender.

Former Prosecutor Darrell Moore filed a complaint with the state Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline in December 2006.

The complaint logged with the state was triggered by Holden’s handling of a criminal case against a 17-year-old he had previously known. Holden had presided over an abuse and neglect case in juvenile court with the boy.

Holden released the teen on a signature bond — meaning the teen only had to sign a form to get out of jail, although there were additional requirements that he follow while out on bond.

Prosecutors — most vocally, Moore — said Holden was being far too lenient, and after a few court battles, sent the case to another judge.

But Weston’s family doesn’t have that option anymore.

“We don’t get to appeal what we don’t like,” Wesley said.

Wesley points out that if Roche hadn’t liked something that happened in the trial, he could have appealed.

But while Weston’s family is enraged by the second-degree verdict, they have no recourse.

“I do believe a jury would have found him guilty” of first-degree murder, Wesley said.

Another recently adjudicated case appears to support Wesley’s opinion.

Two weeks ago, Jarrod Sirois was given a life sentence for the first-degree murder of his roommate. Although the case was tried before Judge Holden, a jury decided the verdict and the sentence.

Although the facts in the cases were very different, they had an important similarity.

Each hinged on the question of “cool reflection.” In Siroris’ case, jurors felt Sirois did have a chance to reflect while he beat the man with a metal pipe, taped the curtains shut, and continued the assault.